The San Bernardino Republican Women club has enjoyed an illustrious history of civic engagement and political activism. The earliest mention of the club’s founders appears in an archived edition of the San Bernardino Sun dated January 22, 1929. At that time, the San Bernardino chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) assisted the Pioneer Society in Upland, California to add 200 names of Pioneer mothers to the Madona of the Trail Memorial at Euclid Ave. and Route 66, now known as Foothill Blvd.
The three major DAR contributors to the project were Anna Boley Garner, Mrs. George Tilton, and Mrs. Ben Cowan. The three women would become the founding mothers of what is now know as the San Bernardino Republican Women club.
In 1935, the women were meeting with other women as members of the Republican Women’s Study Club, which enjoyed great success. In 1937 the club became the San Bernardino Republican Women’s club. All three women served as officers at the county, division, and club levels. Noted legislators and women of renown were frequently featured as speakers at the club’s monthly meetings. All of the women in the club belonged to several community organizations and charities and supported their efforts, as well as those of the Republican club.
(n 1947, the San Bernardino Republican Women, became members of the National Federation of Republican Women and added the word Federated to their title. For seventy-five years, the San Bernardino Republican Women Federated club participated in the political process through campaigning for Republican candidates and educating the community on bills and propositions that would harm the pocketbooks of the citizens.
In December of 2023, following a coup that overturned a vote taken of the assembly at Convention of 2021, the club’s members voted to leave the state and national Federation. The club has retrieved its former name of San Bernardino Republican Women and continues to grow its grassroots influence in San Bernardino and the surrounding environs.
The Republican Oath
I believe the strength of our nation lies with the individual and that each person’s dignity, freedom, ability and responsibility must be honored.
I believe in equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, sex, age or disability.
I believe government must practice fiscal responsibility and allow individuals to keep more of the money they earn.
I believe the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations and that the best government is that which governs least.
I believe the most effective, responsible and responsive government is government closest to the people.
I believe Americans must retain the principles that have made us strong while developing new and innovative ideas to meet the challenges of changing times.
I believe Americans value and should preserve our national strength and pride while working to extend peace, freedom and human rights throughout the world.
Finally, I believe the Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive and successful principles of government.
